thinking I should have been seated next to my three-year-old on this flight?

[nappyrat]

Cheap (orange) airline. Normally v good when travelling with kids - speedy boarding, say they'll sit you with kid/s etc.

Flew out recently & they said a 'technical error' had mistakenly sat me in a different row(!!) to my 3 year old. They fixed it on board (after much grumbling by several passengers about not moving from seats they've paid extra to book to sit together (fair enough!)). But fixed, fairly stress free.

Return flight today, I was sat across the aisle from DS. Their handling agent told me that this is considered 'sat together'?! Erm...really?! Anyway, handling agent refused to seat us together. Cue quite a bit of 'discussing' with them why this was not on IMO. No budging. Decided to leave it & ask the flight crew when we boarded. Who eventually sorted it - v kind older couple agreed to move seats.

Before I let loose with said orange airline's customer services, AIBU to think that sorting across the aisle from a 3 yr old is not appropriate?! DS was wailing, I had to bend across aisle to comfort, there were good chunks of time during boarding when I couldn't see DS because ppl stood in between us in aisle. Just bloody stressful quite frankly. And not what I'd expect from this - or to be bloody honest - any - airline.

Opinions please mumsnet!

Bravo Zoe!!

It's a safety issue!! Cannot believe how many ppl think it's not!

tempus there was a thing in the papers today about an app that tells you what is going on mechanically with a flight throughout it's duration, don't know any more detail but may help you.

Remember, air travel is the safest mode of transport. You will be fine. Manage your discomfort in the air, ask for help, I really sympathise.

Try to liken it to other modes of transport, you wouldn't be bothered if you were in a traffic jam - if your take off is delayed it's usually because the flights in front of you have been delayed, it's a traffic jam, ditto with landing.

Jayho - good and interesting point about the legal aspect.

Tempus - you have my sympathies, went through a phase of that (not as bad) but I think it's behind me again now - for some reason flying alone and more frequently has helped.

funnyfive I flew to America last month with Delta and could book my seats for free. Although we booked with Delta for return flight we were allocated Virgin who wanted £40 per person to book seats. I didn't do it. 24 hours before the flight they automatically booked our seats and 3 of us were together and I was the other side of the aisle (result!) So, I think you'll be ok if your child is under 14.

From the point of view of someone who flies alone from time to time leaving my children at home (with DH) I absolutely think it should be compulsory for airlines to book anyone under 16 next to their responsible adult for free at the point of booking the tickets. I totally object to the idea of being sat next to an effectively unaccompanied child to provide free babysitting services for someone else's children. Totally mad.

I'd love to sit away from my three year old on a flight. The people grumbling about their pre bought seats are welcome to a few hours next to him

'My recent Ryanair return flight was delayed by a cheapske family who wanted to sit with their children but hadn't paid to book and spent ages trying to get people who'd already paid for their seat to move.'

I hope no one did. Fuck that! Pay up or put up.

makes a note never to pre book seats on orange flight and crosses fingers

Just - that sounds like a grt idea! ;)

I agree, btw, that where both parents are insisting as sitting as a family they are being arses. Us cheapskates only get one shot....

It is a safety issue, but I thought OP was complaining about being across the aisle - that's OK from a legal/compliance/safety regs pov albeit not what the op wanted. Easiest way to avoid that is to pay.
BTW my local airport punishes families with U18 kids by makimg them join a much longer queue at arrivals for passport checks - I'd rather they did something to speed that up, it's nearly as long as the flaming flight

Um Tempus has every bit as much of a right to post as you do OP, and swearing is allowed here as long as it's not a personal attack.

CAA blurb is bloody bonkers!! Bonkers!!

I agree with jayho - completely unreasonable for both parents to insist on sitting with child, only needs one, but my pint is that it does need one!!

OP I got caught out earlier this year. I used to fly on budget airlines a lot and rarely more than half the seats were prebooked. We never had a problem getting seats together at check in. I don't fly much these days and was surprised to find virtually the whole flight had prebooked their seats.

Then this summer I flew at short notice due to illness. I was with 2 children including a 2 year old. I booked the same day and couldn't get seats together. I tried explaining to passengers near me and i was very apologetic but a number of them refused to move so I could sit with children.

People can be so grumpy.

Tempus just try to think about the staff on the planes, how many flying hours they must do compared to yours so statistically it's not going to be your planes that has a problem. Being on the plane is not a risk, you are much more likely to be killed in the car on the way to the airport but you probably won't be gripping that car seat. Try and rationalise it. I know exactly how it feels, I always make sure I board last so that I'm not on plane any longer than needs be and prebook seat near front so I can get off quicker, even just walking up steps of plane my legs feel like jelly but try to rationalise the fear and distract myself with a picture magazine.

I get it. I do. I have three damned annoying kids, two of which really do need to be sitting next to their parents. But you must know yabu surely. I am as tight as a gnat's chuff and even I pay for seats together.

Sorry OP but I think you are BVVVU. I have been flying regularly for the last 15 years, and with my DS(4) since he was 17 weeks. I have always paid extra to he sat together because 12-16 quid becomes small fry when you see parents arguing and complaining with cabin staff about not bring sat with children they assumed they would be sat with. Frankly it is irresponsible at best and irritating to everyone on board.

My own - poor you. That sounds stressful. On the outward leg a really sweet couple offered to swap after they heard me asking the steward to help. They said they thought the seating arrangements were ridiculous & we're very happy to move, v kind.

Tiggytape - correct on the reason - but seems a bit mean to make kids wait double the time - there should be enough staff and there never are.

Gaw bless the Orange airline and the Blue Harp one too, the huge effort and expertise involved in getting these tubes in the air, keeping them up there and landing safely in the precise location expected, usually within minutes of the scheduled time is awesome. The Orange and the Harp and others are no-frills and so cheap it's incredible. So if you want a frill, like confirmed seat allocations, pay for that frill.

YABU

myown yes people can be grumpy but unless you are willing to pay them the £9-15 why would they move just like that? Presumably they picked a window seat cos they wanted to look out the window or an aisle seat for the legroom. Having kids does not mean priority/entitlement. I would have moved for you as I know how bad it can be travelling with a two year old but there's no way you can expect others to split up or give up a seat they paid for.

Sorry plan - sitting next to a 3 yr old ain't a frill! It's basic safety.